Staying active and keeping your health in mind during the hustle and bustle of holiday parties, plans, and presents can be difficult. Worrying about your health can put extra stress on you and make it hard to stay in the holiday spirit.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends looking for simple ways to stay active during the holidays. Here are a few ways you can encourage holiday cheer in a healthy, active way this season.
Get creative about staying active.
Going to the gym isn’t the only way you can get your exercise in during the winter. Take your holiday shopping to the next level by looking for gifts in a mall or shopping center with multiple floors and taking the stairs as often as possible. If your family loves looking at holiday lights displays, ditch your car and walk around to look at them if possible. You might even go for a walk as a group after your holiday party is over.
Try to eat healthy foods at parties.
There’s no telling what food you’re going to run into at a holiday party, but it’s important to eat from a variety of food groups. Try new foods even if you’re not sure you’d like them. Lean toward dishes with fruits, protein, and vegetables. Balance your plate as well as you can, but remember that it’s not the end of the world if you eat a few extra desserts.
Try out more festive activities.
If focusing on healthy eating is stressing you out, try planning activities that don’t revolve around food. Volunteering at an organization in your city is a great way to spread holiday cheer and ensure others have a happy holiday season. Take your friends ice skating or sledding, if you can, or go pick out a live tree to bring home with your family. Explore a museum, park, or other fun place in your town with loved ones, or create a scavenger hunt you can complete while walking around.
No matter how you choose to stay active this holiday season, be sure you’re spreading holiday cheer and feeling the holiday spirit yourself. Visit cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/features/stay-active to find more ways to make your holidays healthier.
